The Source: Jackie Kelman Bisbee

What is the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen in the past few months?

Jeppe Ronde’s Come4 The Lover. The first 20 seconds of this film really pissed me off so I was about to turn it off when the reveal just blew me away. It’s exquisitely lensed, art directed and edited. A ‘not-for-profit user-generated porn site?’ Hello 2014.

What’s your favourite website?

I love Vice.com. Where else can you see skinny Brooklyn hipsters dropped into a war-ravaged Third World country while managing to tell a compelling story? The Vice HBO series is a weekly regular for me. They uncover stories we all need to see and care about.

What website do you use most regularly?

The Huffington Post. It aggregates everything I could ever want… from politics and films to how to get a good night’s sleep. Being an insomniac, I’m a sucker for the newest way to get a solid eight hours. (And the occasional glimpse of Kim Kardashian… I just can’t help myself.)

Mac or PC?

I left my Macbook Air in my office one day and was forced to use a PC at my sister’s office (my sister is obviously not in our business). I felt like a toddler trying to navigate a smart phone for the first time, pushing buttons and making indistinguishable noises. It was awful.

What product could you not live without?

My hair straighteners.

What product hasn’t been invented yet that would make your life better?

I wish we had technology to communicate with animals. I’ve read a lot recently about MRI imaging of dogs’ brains and it’s clear that they are extremely smart and have emotional lives. Animal rights have been a big part of my life and I think if people could hear an animal’s thoughts, we’d be a lot further along in protecting them. Through the organisation NY Class, we’re campaigning to remove the horses from Central Park and replace them with vintage electric cars. We built a prototype which was showcased at this year’s Auto Show. All of the horses would be adopted to farms rather than sold at slaughter auctions, which is how they are currently “retired”. If you could walk up to an NYC carriage horse and say, “Hey Charlie, you happy?” and the horse could reply, “Fuck no, do I look happy? Please get me the hell outta here.” That would make my life better.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the past year?

According to one of our directors, AG Rojas, I’m a bit behind the eight ball with this one but I recently watched Fish Tank on Netflix, directed by Andrea Arnold. I was in London, suffering from terrible jet lag, and decided to pull an all-nighter. I figured it had Michael Fassbender in it, so how bad could it be? It’s easily one of the best films I’ve seen this year (despite being made in 2009). The performances and story left me with the desperate desire to produce more independent films.

If you could live in one city, where would it be?

New York. For better or worse. I’m a 30-year resident. I have a love/hate relationship with the city, but just can’t see myself anywhere else.

What track/artist would you listen to for inspiration?

I’m a big fan of 80s and 90s R&B. Chaka Khan and Prince are top of my playlist. Music from that era just makes me feel really good. But for inspiration, it’ll always be Bruce Springsteen. I grew up in New Jersey. He and his music are in my DNA. I’ve seen him at least 20 times. I cry like a baby every time.

Who’s your favourite photographer?

Sean Pierce in the Park NYC office. He’s our IT guy. He has 45,000 Instagram followers. I’ve lived in NYC for 30 years and it’s very inspiring to see a young photographer move to the city and see it and its people in a whole different way. Sean’s unique compositions of the city’s landmarks, skyline and the cast of characters who walk amongst us always take me by surprise. Then to watch his Instagram followers grow to 45,000 is simply amazing. Of course, I’d be out of my mind not to talk about Lance Acord, my business partner. His photography and cinematography were the foundation for our company. His images can take my breath away.

Who’s your favourite designer?

Stella McCartney. I love almost everything she does. It’s always a bit fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

What fictitious character do you most relate to?

Miss Piggy. I can never get enough of that woman. She’s confident and a force of nature; a true role model. I stopped eating bacon when I was 12.

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

John Bisbee, an extraordinary sculptor (and my brother-in-law) had a show recently in Chelsea. As a long-time Chelsea resident, I’ve seen many shows and, I’m proud to say, John’s was one of the best I’ve seen in years. He welds nails together to make these incredibly intricate shapes. From nail tumbleweeds to a large wall sculpture that resembles meteors blasting through the sheetrock. He lives in Maine where, every so often, a truck will dump a ton (literally) of nails into his studio and he will tirelessly work away for a year.

What’s your favourite magazine?

Oh God, forgive me, I still read Vogue every month. Can’t believe that’s my answer, but it is. The New Yorker is a close second, just so my brain doesn’t rot over the weekend. We’re getting information all the time from everything around us. It can be so incredibly overwhelming. If I’m stressed out, it’s about face creams and shoes. If I feel like I want to immerse myself with the best writers of our time and learn something along the way, it’s The New Yorker. There’s a great short story this week by my favourite author, Sam Lipsyte. It’s a must-read.